Cottontail Day keeps Ventura Harbor hopping

Kids scamper to collect eggs during one of many egg hunts at the annual Cottontail Day event at Ventura Harbor. More than 2,500 eggs reportedly were used.

Ventura County Star

Ventura Harbor was blooming with springtime color Saturday as children in their Easter best crowded the play area during the annual Cottontail Day as they enjoyed an egg hunt, Cottontail Bunny and other treats.

Wearing a pink sundress, white sandals and a sparkly white wide-brimmed hat with a pink ribbon, Storey Barnett, 4, waited in line with mom Ruthie Barnett and little brother Degan, 10 months, to buy $2 tickets for the egg hunt.

Storey said she was looking forward to the "Easter Bunny and stuff" during the festivities.

The harbor's nice," Ruthie Barnett said. "It gives us chance to find eggs, and Saturdays are family days."

Ventura Harbor Village spokeswoman Stacey Reed said the weather couldn't have been better for the fifth year of the event.

"We like to think of ourselves as the California sun-kissed seaside playground. And most days — like today — we have the weather to back that up," she said.

Cottontail Day offered a number of events for young ones, including inflatable slides, a petting zoo, pony rides, face painting, a playground and regular visits with Cottontail Bunny. There were three to four booths offering free crafts for children, as well as a scavenger hunt through the Harbor Village. And entertainment was offered all day.

Lacey Wells, 11, of Santa Paula, was selling booklets of fast-food restaurant coupons to raise money for her 4-H project.

"I'm going to get a lamb in April, and I need money for shavings for the lamb's bed, jackets and shirts, and tagging," she said, adding that she hopes to enter her lamb in the Ventura County Fair.

Jonathan Maldonado, 17, with Ventura's City Corps youth program, was enjoying helping with the egg hunts. There were three areas divided by age for children to run and pick up as many eggs as they could gather. The youngest ones got help from Mom or Dad.

"It's fun helping the little kids and seeing everyone enjoying the day," Maldonado said. "This is my first day with City Corps, and it's pretty cool helping set up events for kids."

The Wilcox family from Ridgecrest was visiting Point Mugu when they heard about the Ventura Harbor event, so Thea and Matt Wilcox decided to bring sons John Wilcox, 2 1/2, and Dylan, 8 months, to enjoy the day.

Last year, John loved chocolate, "but this year he gets the bunny," Thea Wilcox said.